Horror gamebook set in Kintyre released in time for spooky season

In the book, readers take on the role of a 1930s psychic driving along the A83 on their way to visit Campbeltown. 

After their car breaks down and a strange fog descends, they stumble upon a small village called Cara, which is inspired by Tayinloan. 

Unfortunately, this isn’t the relaxing holiday they were hoping for. The main character soon discovers their psychic abilities have vanished and the locals are more than a little unsettling. 

The plot thickens as they uncover dark secrets, and it is up to the reader to navigate their way through the nightmare, hopefully making it to sunrise.

“I chose to base it where I live so I can tap into all of that wonderful Scottish folklore,” James told the Courier. “I have based Cara on the village of Tayinloan, keeping it mostly the same shape while adding a few more buildings.”

This is the author’s 10th book and the third in his Paranormal Hero saga. The novel features numerous illustrations of local sights, which have been enhanced to create the spooky setting of Cara. 

Sharp-eyed local readers may even spot a few friendly faces among the terrifying townsfolk, as many of James’s friends and colleagues from Kintyre Care Centre are parodied in the book.

James, who began writing interactive stories during the Covid lockdowns, describes his books as a simplified version of Dungeons and Dragons for one player. 

His passion for the genre dates back to his childhood, and many of the illustrations in his books come from the same artists who worked on his favourite books growing up, which include Fighting Fantasy, Golden Dragon, and Way Of The Tiger.

Paranormal Hero: The Witches Of Cara is available to buy on Amazon. 

James is already at work on his next project, The Ascension Of Layna Masu, which will launch on Kickstarter soon and feature input from his eldest daughter, Cassia.